A #100 million programme to speed-up access to broadband internet connections has seen a "seismic increase" in take-up of the technology, Economic Development Minister Andrew Davies said today.

Mr Davies launched the five-year programme in 2002, describing it at the time as "my baby".

Today he said 310,000 extra homes and 67,000 extra businesses now had access to super-fast connections compared to 2002.

"There are now 1,649 sites including schools and libraries who have access to broadband," he said. "I believe that represents a seismic increase from the 156 sites just three years ago."

All bar 35 telephone exchanges would be upgraded by BT by the end of the summer, Mr Davies added.

Conservative AM Alun Cairns said Northern Ireland had achieved 100% broadband coverage, and the Scottish Executive had its own programme to link up rural communities. "Why is it that Wales is yet again lagging behind?" he asked.

But Mr Davies said that suggestion was "simply not true".

"The Scottish programme will actually deliver lower coverage than we will achieve by the end of the summer," he said.

Plaid Cymru's Elin Jones said more needed to be done to ensure broadband reached rural areas.

She said: "Large cities are given broadband at a speed for greater than is available in peripheral areas. IT is not succeeding in narrowing the gap in opportunity for people in peripheral areas."